Comparison of cervical cancer screening strategies: Cox et al

Screening programs based on cervical cytology have markedly reduced morbidity and mortality from cervical cancer, yet it remains an important public health problem; 12,170 diagnoses of the disease were estimated for 2012, along with 4200 deaths. The availability of molecular diagnostics that detect high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA, the cause of all cervical cancers, has fundamentally changed the screening landscape. Likewise, widespread administration of the HPV vaccine may alter the epidemiology of the disease. Screening algorithms will have to evolve concurrently in order to remain effective.